Alleged assassination plotter, Talalelei Pauga is only an Australian Federal Court decision away from being extradited to Samoa to answer charges of plotting to kill Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
Brisbane Times reports that Brisbane Magistrates Court concluded on Friday that Pauga was eligible for extradition to Samoa and he has again been remanded in custody. He has 15 days to appeal the decision.
Magistrate Tina Previtera described parts of the argument put forward by the defendant’s lawyer as “absurd”, “rubbish” and an “attempt to delay proceedings”.
Defense lawyer George Mancini tried to close the court on Friday due to “matters of sensitivity” and for the “personal safety” of his client but Ms Previtera rejected the request due to a lack of evidence.
Mancini’s argument against the proposed extradition was that Ms Previtera did not have jurisdiction to rule on the Samoan government’s request.
The court heard Mr Pauga had been accused of taking part in transferring money for weapons and was involved in conversations regarding the whereabouts of PM Tuilaepa.
Attorney Marc McKechnie, appearing for Samoa, described that claim as “nonsense”.
McKechnie and Ms Previtera also took issue with one of Mancini’s claims that “Samoa is a failed state” and the “government of Samoa is dying”.
Ms Previtera noted that among Mancini’s submissions were printed copies of Wikipedia articles on the turbulent situation in Samoa.
“I could … charge Mr Mancini with contempt from the bench for the kind of comments you have been making, but that would only further delay proceedings,” Ms Previtera said.
In her judgment, she said Mr Mancini’s arguments “would be comical” if not for the serious nature of the proceedings.
“[Mr Mancini] has made nonsensical submissions, absurd suggestions and rubbish applications with no chance of success, in order to delay these proceedings,” she said.
However, Mancini has launched a case in the Federal Court seeking to prove the magistrate did not have jurisdiction to rule on the extortion application.
That case will return to the Federal Court on July 22.
